The Best Char Siu Pork (Red BBQ Pork)

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Char Siu is a Cantonese-style barbecued pork dish with a history dating back over a thousand years.
“Char Siu” translates to “fork roast,” referring to the traditional method of skewering seasoned strips of pork on forks and roasting them over an open flame or in a covered oven. Char Siu pork has a significant place in my heart as it has been one of the few key signature dishes I’ve had to perfect and showcase during my journey within Chinese food. I am now happy to share my secret recipe with you all, a version where all you need is a home oven or air fryer.

Char Siu was often made from pork shoulder, belly, or loin, which were marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey (or maltose), Chinese five-spice, Shaoxing rice wine, and sometimes fermented red bean curd. This marinade gave it a signature deep red hue, which was later enhanced with red food coloring in some modern preparations.

Char Siu is a staple of Cantonese Siu Mei, a category of roasted meats found hanging in Chinese barbecue shops throughout Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Chinatowns globally. It is commonly served with rice or noodles, or as a filling in Char Siu Bao—the famous Cantonese barbecue pork buns.

Recipe makes about 2kg of pork, feel free to increase/decrease the amount to suit your needs. I always encourage people to make more and freeze them for your future self or as a perfect gift for fellow foodie friends.

For juicy, tender char siu, select a fatty pork cut to prevent it from drying out. I used pork belly, but you can also try pork butt, scotch, or jowl. Be sure to prep the pork by removing the skin and cutting it into evenly sized pieces (like strips of pork belly) to ensure an even cook.

A key ingredient is red fermented beancurd, a rich, umami-packed condiment that gives char siu its deep savory flavor and signature red hue. Made from fermented soybeans, red yeast rice, and rice wine, it adds a subtle funky, salty-sweet depth to the marinade. A little goes a long way in boosting flavor!

To ensure a smooth and well mixed marinade, I add all the marinade ingredients into a small food processor and blitz till smooth:

Marinade:
6 cubes plus juices of red fermented beancurd (120g approx)
1 1/2 tbsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
2 tsp chicken boullion powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp five spice
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Marinade the pork. Place pork in individual resealable bags with some marinade in them. Ideally overnight or stored in the freezer for future use. if cooking from frozen, make sure to thaw out the pork.

Preheat the oven to 170C roast and cook the pork on a lined baking tray for 45 – 55min or until tender (where a fork can easily pierce the meat without much resistance).
Make the glaze by emptying the remaining marinade into a small saucepan with water and sugar, reduce on a low heat until sticky and glossy (about 2 min).

Take your pork out when cooked and glaze your Char Siu generously with a brush (or spooned over).
Optional, to make a sticky-er tacky exterior of your Char Siu, roast it again for 5 more minutes and add more glaze after.

Before you carve your Char Siu, give it meat a rest in room temperature for at least 10 minutes so the juices don’t run everywhere.

Serve with extra glaze for a glossy, flavorful finish, and add a side of hot English mustard for a bold, spicy kick—optional, but highly recommended! Best enjoyed with rice or noodles with your favorite greens.